Rinsing of the nasal passages with a saline solution is a well tried method for alleviating allergies and infections and has been recommended by doctors for many years.
In the past, the nasal passages were either rinsed by sniffing the saline solution into the nose or inverting the nose and pouring the saline solution into the nose from a receptacle. These methods were both inefficient and uncomfortable for the user.
In order to improve upon the previous methods, a bottle having a nozzle for delivering saline solution under pressure was developed. By delivering the saline solution under pressure, the rinsing process is more effective and can be performed in a shorter period of time.
Although an improvement over the previous methods, the bottle has several disadvantages. Because the bottle is held under the nose and saline solution is sprayed upward into the nasal passages, used saline solution drips onto the user's hands, which is messy and unhygienic. In addition, the narrow passages provided in the bottle and/or nozzle are difficult to clean and even more difficult to dry. As a result, bacteria collect in the narrow passages and infect or re-infect the user each time the bottle is used. This can be very dangerous particularly if the bottle is used for long periods of time without sterilization. Despite significant efforts to clean the tubing and narrow passages in the currently available bottles, cultures taken from the tubing of used bottles have grown bacteria (Staphyloccocus aureus) in the laboratory.
It is therefore desirable to provide a nasal irrigation device that obviates or mitigates at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art.